Political Theology for a Plural Age

Edited by Michael Jon Kessler

Examines the challenges posed to political theology by ever-increasing pluralism

Includes essays by leading scholars and secular experts on political theology

Political Theology for a Plural Age

Edited by Michael Jon Kessler

Description

New challenges that emerged in the postwar era have given rise to ongoing debate about the place of religion in public life, in the United States and in other established democracies, and this debate has dramatically reshaped the way scholars, policymakers, and religious leaders think about political theology. Political Theology for a Plural Age examines historic and contemporary understandings of political engagement in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, engaging political theologies not merely as a set of theoretical concepts but as religious beliefs and principles that motivate specific political action. The essays in this volume, written by leading thinkers and practitioners within each tradition and their secular counterparts, examine a number of core issues at
the intersection of religion and politics. They contest the definition of political theology, establish a common discourse across the three Abrahamic traditions, and closely examine how globalization, secularization, and pluralism affect the construction and plausibility of political theologies. Finally, they offer insight into how political theologies might adapt to the shared global challenges of the twenty-first century.

Political Theology for a Plural Age

Edited by Michael Jon Kessler

Table of Contents

ContributorsIntroduction, Michael Kessler

Part I: Theologies of the Political: A Conversation José Casanova, Michael Kessler, Mark Lilla, and John Milbank

Part II: Domesticating Religion: The Abrahamic Faiths and the Democratic StateChapter 2: The Great Combination: Modern Political Thought and the Collapse of the Two Cities, Patrick DeneenChapter 3: The Emergence and Development of Liberal Jewish Political Theology, Jerome CopulskyChapter 4: Christianity and the Rise of the Democratic State, Eric GregoryChapter 5: Is the King a Democrat? The Politics of Islam in Morocco, Paul Heck

Part III: Confronting Pluralism: Main Trends in Political Theologies TodayChapter 6: Difference, Resemblance, Dialogue: Some Goals for
Comparative Political Theology in a Plural Age, Michael Kessler Chapter 7: ''Reading'' the Status of Public Theologies: Rhetorical Analysis of the Media Construction of Political Islam, Elizabeth Bucar Chapter 8: The Future of Political Theology: From Crisis to Pluralism, Robin LovinChapter 9: Doing Political Theology Today, David NovakChapter 10: Augustinian Christian Republican Citizenship, Charles MathewesChapter 11: Islamic Political Theologies and International Relations, Jocelyne Cesari

Index

Political Theology for a Plural Age

Edited by Michael Jon Kessler

Author Information

Michael Kessler is Associate Director of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University, a Visiting Assistant Professor of Government, and an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Georgetown University Law Center. He works in theology, ethics, and the nexus of law, politics, and religion.

Political Theology for a Plural Age

Edited by Michael Jon Kessler

Reviews and Awards

"How often do we talk about religion's enormous impact on politics without ever stopping to ponder the insights and challenges of political theology? Thanks to Michael Kessler's extraordinary collection, there will be no excuses for this mistake any longer. Gathered here are some of the very finest thinkers in the field, representing a breathtaking range of traditions and viewpoints. This exciting book deserves a very broad audience." --E. J. Dionne Jr, University Professor in the Foundations of Democracy and Culture, Georgetown University